Welcome to Exhale
Simple joy is our birthright. We simply have it backwards.
We bought into the commercial idea that joy comes from buying another thing, a bigger thing, a better thing…a new experience, a better experience and more and more experiences…it’s all backwards.
That’s why we feel so buried in stuff, burdened with chores to care for our stuff, and overwhelmed by too much to do.
Simple joy is within us - it’s our abiding, calm presence that’s always there.
Don’t get me wrong - stuff and experiences are fun and even necessary, such as shelter, food, clothes, beauty and experiences.
It’s just that we’ve gone overboard in the outer joy department, and we’ve forgotten the simple things: time with our families and friends, a healthy, simple nourishing meal, time to breathe in the beauty that’s already there, and the sunlight on our floors.
We’ve especially forgotten getting to know ourselves inside. Therein lies our joy…which is not about being joyful all of the time, but rather, accepting our various human emotions in all forms. The joy is in not trying to be any particular emotion, but in welcoming in all of them. There is calmness, relaxation and love in that space.
“This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and attend to them all: Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight.” - Rumi
If you’d like to go on your own journey of self-discovery, read, “The Presence Process”, by Michael Brown.
The simple life is an exhale - shedding what weighs you down, and choosing calm over frantic.
Creating a life based on what fits you - not the world - takes monster discipline, I know. We are bombarded daily, hourly and every minute to have more and be more. It’s a hard message to ignore.
But we can do it.
Enter the mindfulness of simplicity. If you find yourself stressed, on the go 24/7 and not sleeping well - what would happen if you checked in with yourself and asked if this is what you want? Is chasing after stuff and “success” worth it to your heart and soul? Where is your limit? How much success and how many outside accolades are important to you?
I love doing work that’s important. I love being surrounded by beauty and I love traveling and seeing the world. I love having people to care for, and so on. Simple Living is not about austerity or being self-absorbed. It’s simply about knowing when your life is out of balance - and knowing what truly, deeply feeds your soul.
Six Pillars of Simplicity
After the exhale comes the question: how do you keep life this spacious?
The idea is soooo delicious, isn’t it? But how?
I wrote the Six Pillars as a set of guideposts to follow - one simple step at a time. Enjoy!
Meet Janet Luhrs
Janet is a pioneer of the simplicity movement and the author of the best-selling The Simple Living Guide - often hailed as the definitive book on slowing down and living with intention. Her work gently but powerfully asks - what if less is really more?
With a journalist’s curiosity and a seeker’s heart, Janet doesn’t preach minimalism - she invites joy. Her writing, teaching and lived example help people strip away the noise, reconnect with what matters, and design lives filled with beauty, presence and ease. Whether it’s how we eat, spend, love or rest - Janet reminds us that simplicity isn’t about sacrifice - it’s about coming home to ourselves.
Janet has been a guest on countless shows including Oprah, and has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and more.